


Imaginary

by LetoaSai



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Failed merging attempts, Imaginary Friends, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, M/M, Riku and Sora ultimate friendship, Sora knew all along, Swordfighting, They're children though so it's only foreshadowing, Vanitas and Ventus if you squint, mean kids, teased
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-10
Updated: 2020-02-10
Packaged: 2021-02-28 00:26:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,985
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22644859
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LetoaSai/pseuds/LetoaSai
Summary: Sora knew what imaginary friends were. No matter what other kids said, Ventus and Vanitas were not imaginary.Sora was more aware of his heart than anyone knew.
Relationships: Riku/Sora (Kingdom Hearts), Vanitas/Ventus (Kingdom Hearts)
Comments: 21
Kudos: 186





	Imaginary

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts

Sora knew what an imaginary friend was. He wasn’t stupid. An imaginary friend was a pretend friend. An invisible friend. Someone for you to play with when none of your real friends could come over to play. It was a pretend game where you controlled everything because all of the pretend friends were you. 

Sora’s friends were not imaginary. 

“Why can’t you see them?” he asked, looking at Tidus with huge eyes. “They’re right here.” 

“You’re such a baby, Sora.” Tidus had heaved a heavy sigh like their moms did after too many questions. “Only babies have imaginary friends.” 

“They’re not imaginary! And i’m not a baby!” 

The kids in his daycare had laughed at him and he’d stomped off with his teacher giving half hearted platitudes, telling the other kids that there was nothing wrong with having an imaginary friend. 

But they _weren't_ imaginary. 

Sora sat in the corner, half hidden by a bookshelf to pout. No one ever believed him. His dad had rolled his eyes and his mother had smiled and thought it cute. 

“How come they can’t see you, Ven?” 

The older boy appeared, Sora didn’t know how much older really. He wasn’t a grownup but he was much older than Sora. He was see through, but not scary. He had a kind smile and blond hair that was spiky like his and he was never mean. 

“Because i’m in your heart, Sora. It’s very difficult to share what’s in your heart with other people.” Ventus said, reaching out to brush Sora’s tears away. That was a weird thing too. Sora felt the touch warm and light, but it didn’t feel like a real persons hand. His tears were still smeared across his face. Imaginary friends couldn’t do that. “They… they don’t mean to be mean. They just can’t see us.” 

“You’re different, Sora.” Vanitas appeared, leaning against the wall beside him. His eyes were red and his hair was dark so it looked even more like Sora’s. “Different isn’t bad. It’s just different. Your heart is strong. That’s why you can see us.” 

Ventus offered Vanitas an approving smile. The pair argued as much as they agreed but they usually seemed to be on the same wavelength when attempting to reassure Sora. 

“But i want them to see you.” Sora pouted. “You’re nice and you’re supposed to share nice things.” 

Ventus smiled sadly. “I’m sorry, Sora. Vani and i just can’t be shared. That doesn’t mean you have to feel badly for others not being able to see us.” 

“Makes you special, right?” Vanitas offered. “That can be fun too.” 

“But no one believes me.” Sora mumbled. “I’m not imagining you.” 

“Nah, but that’s okay.” Vanitas shrugged. “They couldn’t come up with anything half as cool as us anyway.” That got a shaky smile from Sora. 

“It’s okay, you know? To play with the other kids. You don’t have to bring us up every time. Vani and i will be right here with you.” Ventus said, attempting to steer the conversation.

Sora shifted and sniffed back his tears. “But you won’t get to play too.” 

“Awe Sora.” Ventus smiled. “I have Vanitas. He and i will play together. We’re never lonely.” 

“Really?” Sora looked up at the darker half who looked mildly uncomfortable. “Whatever Ven says… must be true.” 

“I’ll stay here.” Sora mumbled, resting his cheek on his raised knees. He felt safe with Ventus and Vanitas. He wasn’t sure why he needed to be safe, but he was. 

“Sora…” Ventus tried but stopped when Vanitas nudged him. 

“Leave him be...” 

Ventus nodded once and hesitated before starting again. “Why don’t you pick out a book and i’ll read to you.” 

“Kay.” Sora said, turning just enough to look at the books before picking one out. He’d gotten used to Ventus sitting over should shoulder to read a book while he turned the pages and looked at the pictures. Even Vanitas sat on Sora’s other side to listen. 

It wasn’t the first time Sora had banished himself to the corner. 

“Sora, we’re having snacks.” Riku appeared later and noted the chapter book instantly. “That’s a big book.” 

“Ventus is reading it to me.” Sora mumbled, feeling Ventus rub a soothing circle on his back. He folded the page down as a bookmark and was surprised when Riku didn’t start immediately arguing with him. 

“Want to come eat?” Riku offered him his own chubby hand. 

“Go on.” Vanitas whispered. 

Sora nodded. “Kay.” He set the book back on the shelf and followed the silver haired child back towards the group. Not for the first time, Ventus and Vanitas both sighed in relief that not all children were unnecessarily cruel. 

~

Sora was a little boy known for his high energy and his big imagination. Adults often ignored his talk of his imaginary friends that he insisted were real. Kids weren’t as nice. 

Wakka’s laughter had other kids laughing whenever Sora brought up his friends. It was a hard thing for a child to be so openly mocked but even with his trembling lips, Sora held firm that his friends were real. 

“You know if you really are seeing people, that just means you're crazy.” Wakka laughed, either not noticing or not caring that he really was hurting more than Sora’s feelings. 

“Don’t listen.” Ventus whispered. “They don’t understand.” 

“Yeah, Sora.” Tidus laughed. “You must have gone nuts already.” 

“I’m not…” Sora mumbled, seeing Vanitas’ hands tightening into fists while Ventus had him in his ghostly embrace. 

“Then you’re just a baby.” Wakka said. “It can’t be both. “ 

Tidus snorted. “I guess it could just mean he doesn’t have any friends. You’re trying too hard, Sora.” 

“I’m not…” Sora swallowed thickly. 

The two boys laughed and it had the other kids starting up again. Sora was a target for their jokes that never got old. Many recent occasions had them bringing up Sora’s friends before Sora did it himself just to poke fun. 

“Crybaby.” Tidus snickered.

“I still say crazy.” Wakka shrugged. “But he doesn’t have friends either-hey!” 

Both Wakka and Tidus both started coughing, their eyes tearing up after Riku had kicked sand in their faces. They tried in vain and were reduced to crying at the sting of it. 

“All sand and no ocean.” Riku sneered. “It’s funny when you’re the ones being mean.” 

“Riku! This isn’t funny!” Tidus said through his tears. 

“None of it was, and you started it. Go cry to someone who cares.” Riku glared, not caring when the two boys ran off to tell their teacher. The other kids also very quickly had something to do and scattered. 

“I like this kid.” Vanitas muttered. 

“Oh Vani.” Ventus said, a sigh in his tone. 

Riku stood in front of Sora who was still biting his lip to keep himself from crying. “Oh, stop. They’re just bullies.” Riku said, roughly wiping the tears from Sora’s face. “And...and jealous. They’re jealous too.” 

“Jealous?” Sora sniffed. 

“Uh huh. They want neat friends too and don’t have ones like yours.” 

Sora inhaled shakily, a few more tears escaping. “They said i don’t have friends.”

Riku snorted, “Shows how much they know, doesn’t it? You have me, right? We’re friends.” 

“You…” Sora’s eyes grew huge, face pink. “Yeah. Riku’s my best friend.” 

“Well there.” Riku said, taking Sora’s hand and dragging him a little further down the stretch of beach they were visiting. “Don’t let bullies pick on you.” 

“They weren’t…” 

“They were.” Riku snapped. “Don’t let them do it.” 

Sora had to walk a little faster to keep up with Riku’s slightly bigger stride. “It’s cause they don’t believe i have Ven and Vani.” 

“Well you say you do, so you do, right?” 

“Right.” Sora mumbled shyly, almost relieved that at least one person believed him. 

The pair sat in the sand and started building a sand castle. Riku completely ignored their teacher calling for him and didn’t seem the least big apologetic. The other kids had been allowed to be mean for too long. 

~

Almost overnight the other kids had understood that messing with Sora wasn’t worth it, because Riku could be creative in his revenge. 

One little boy was hardly ever without the other and Sora’s talk about Ven and Vani never bothered him. 

“Arms up, arms up…” Vanitas said softly, circling around the boys play fight. Each was armed with a stick they’d found and were dueling, fully pretending they were swords. 

“Vanitas.” Ventus sighed. 

“What?” Vanitas complained. “It was their idea to sword fight. They’re gonna do it regardless. We may as well teach them how to do it right.” 

Sora grinned, hardly able to help his laughter. His friends were funny. 

“Are they arguing again?” Riku asked, tilting his head when he noticed the way Sora laughed. It was his smothered laugh. The one he had when other people wouldn’t know what it was laughing at. 

“Yeah.” Sora giggled. “Ventus is worried we’ll get hurt and Vanitas is trying to give us advice. He’s got a sword. He showed it to me. So he must know how.” 

“Yeah? Neat.” Riku said and went back to swinging his stick in the air. “What kind of advice?” 

“Um?” Sora looked up at Vanitas who grinned and threw out his hand. A large sword appeared, one oddly in the shape of a key. 

“Proper stance?” Vanitas said, making Ventus snort. Sora mimicked him and Riku mimicked Sora. They went through the motions of learning the basics. 

It was one of those moments where it was far too easy for Riku to believe Sora really was talking to someone. How else would Sora know the first few steps to swordsmanship. It seemed right at least. 

It didn’t take long before Ventus jumped up to join them. The whole thing had Sora smiling proudly. He was part of something. 

They played and fought and Sora retold every story the twin pair told him. It only made the little boys that much more eager to leave their tiny islands when they got bigger. 

They dismissed some games the other kids loved and sports didn’t hold their attention. They wanted to learn to use real swords and go on adventures. They made themselves their own little obstacle course in their backyards and raced every chance they got. 

They ran laps around their houses that sat side by side almost every day. 

“C’mon Sora!” Riku laughed, longer legs helping him dash a few feet in front of Sora. 

“Riku!” Sora complained. Both boys were spry and were getting faster all the time. None of the other kids in their classes would challenge them to a race because they just didn’t have the practice Riku and Sora did. 

That said, Riku was always in the lead. 

“C’mon Sora.” Ventus cheered, running beside him. “Hard work! Amazing gain! You’re gonna be so strong when you’re bigger all because of right now!” 

“I can’t catch Riku.” Sora groaned, running as fast as his little legs could take him. 

“Hm…” Ventus smiled, “Maybe i can help?” 

His ghost like formed disappeared, returning to Sora’s heart before that warmth spread throughout Sora’s body.The magic and the experience took hold and suddenly it was Ventus in the driver seat. With a grin Ventus took off, catching up to Riku with a laugh as they made another lap around the house. 

“Hey!” Riku said as Sora passed him but there was genuinely laughter in his tone. This was a competition but it was a friendly one. 

It was on the second lap that Ventus wobbled, feeling sensations he hadn’t for some time. Something wasn’t right, he could run much faster than this. He was hardly even trying but his legs hurt, his chest...burned. 

Ventus pulled back and Sora collapsed, his breathing strangled as he tried to to take in air and just couldn’t. 

“Sora?” Ventus hovered next to him, worry setting in. “Sora!” 

“Sora!” Riku skidded to a stop behind him. He knelt down, hands on his shoulder. “Sora? Are you okay?” 

Sora huffed, tears pouring down his face and his heart thrashing against his chest. He couldn’t… breathe? 

“Mom…” Riku muttered, jumping up to his feet and running towards his house. “Mom! Sora’s hurt! Mom!” 

“I’m sorry.” Ventus whispered, holding Sora’s face. “I’m sorry, i didn’t think it would hurt you. I’m sorry!” 

“Ven…” Vanitas appeared. “He’s…” 

“He’ll be fine! He has to be fine!” Ventus’ voice cracked. “He has to be!” 

It was only seconds, maybe a full minute before Riku came running back outside with his mother right behind him but to Ventus and Vanitas it felt like ages. 

“Help him…” Vanitas whispered, arms circled around Ventus, holding him close as his lighter half dissolved into petrified tears. 

“Sora? Sora honey?” The woman propped him up in her arms, forcing him into an almost crouched position as she held him. “Sora look at me. We’re gonna take a deep breath now, nice and slow.” 

Riku looked terror stricken, his eyes on Sora as he tried to breathe. An ambulance had been called and it took nearly an hour for Sora to calm down completely. They’d given him oxygen and ordered the little boy to rest. Riku’s mother overlooked the whole process with her own worried stare. 

The entire time, Ventus cried. “I almost k..killed him Vani...I almost..”

“You didn’t.” Vanitas said softly. “You didn’t know. None of us did.” Sora’s body was too little. He couldn’t handle that much of an increase in his own abilities in that much of a snap. His muscles weren’t used to it, his body was too small. 

Sora wasn’t ready for that kind of magic just yet. 

“I’m sorry.” Ventus sniffed. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” 

Sora’s head lulled back to look up at him, reaching out to touch. All he wanted was to take Ventus’ hand and make sure his friends knew he was okay. His chest was still a little tight but he was feeling better. Really. 

Riku took Sora’s hand, already knowing Sora wasn’t reaching for him but it looked better than Sora reaching out to someone they couldn’t see. 

“I’m sorry Sora.” 

Sora breathed deep, feeling better despite having to wear the oxygen mask. He looked up at Riku. “Did i win the race?” 

Riku squeezed his head. “Yeah dummy.” His voice was soft, stressed out from the scare he’d had. “You won.” 

Sora smiled brightly at Ventus. “Next time i’ll do it by myself. I’ll get better.” 

“Yeah you will.” Ventus buried his face against his darker half.

“Well done, Sora.” Vanitas muttered, relieved. 

Sora was important to them. So very important. But the twin pair had already come to a silent decision. They couldn’t take over Sora like that again. Not until he could handle it.

~

Sometimes it was hard being an oddball. At nearly nine Sora was still having active conversations with his ‘imaginary friends’. It worried his mother and irritated his father. School sent him to the counselors and kids either forgot about it or just labeled him the weird kid. Even Kairi thought it was cute. 

The only one to even entertain the idea that his friends were real was Riku. 

They still practiced their swordsmanship, now with real wooden swords instead of sticks. Ventus and Vanitas still passed long tips and training advice but neither were actually masters themselves. 

“So could i get a glider when i’m bigger?” Sora asked. He was endless fascinated by all the things the big keys could do.

“I don’t know.” Ventus said honestly. “Maybe, but if not i’ll take you for rides on mine.” 

“Fair.” Sora beamed, wandering down the hall to the kitchen for a snack. With his mom out at a parent teacher conference for the night, his dad was supposed to be on top of dinner. But he wasn’t so peanut butter and paopu sandwich it was. 

“Were you bigger then me when you learned to use your glider?” 

“I think so.” Ventus said. “Pretty sure.” 

“You don’t remember?” 

Ventus shrugged. “Dates are hard for me. Time in general I don’t remember a lot.” 

“Sora, why don’t you bring all this to your room?” Vanitas appeared and gestured to his plate and sandwich scraps. He was fidgety which was...odd. Most things didn't bother the darker half. 

Sora cocked his head to the side in a puppy-like gesture.”I’m not supposed to have food in my room though.” 

“It’ll be okay this time, take all of it and-” they all looked up when they heard stomping towards them and Ventus and Vanitas both stood in front of Sora. Unfortunately, it didn’t hide the small boy. 

“Who are you talking to?” Sora’s father appeared, bottle hanging between his fingers. 

“Ventus and Vanitas.” Sora said without shame. 

His father sighed like a martyr, irritation taking over. “Sora. You are too old for that shit. Grow up.” 

Sora shrugged and kept making his sandwich. “They’re still real.” 

“No they aren’t.” 

“Yes they are.” 

“Sora.” Ventus said softly as if his father could actually hear him. “Hush.” 

“Sora, enough! They aren’t real! Just be normal!” The outbursts used to surprise Sora but they’d grown dull over time. His father drank on a normal day. He drank more when his mom wasn’t home. He'd get red faced and belligerent and Sora mostly stayed in his room just to avoid him. “Stop. Your. Lying.” 

He’d yell and say things and then go to bed. Sora’s feelings were usually the only thing broken and Ven and Vani would tell him to pretend it didn’t happen. That they loved him enough to make up for his father's behavior. 

“I am normal.” Sora said. “A normal Sora.” 

He didn’t see it coming, it had never happened before. He was smacked across his mouth, accidentally biting his own tongue in the process. Pain flared through him and his hands flew to his face. 

“Sora!” Ventus gasped painfully.

“They aren’t real! It’s you! There’s something wrong with you.” His dad sneered, grabbing him by the hair and pulling him out of the kitchen. 

“Let go!” he cried, stumbling to follow along. “Let go!” 

“You’re gonna figure it out.” His father hissed, pulling him across the house to the front door like he was going to kick Sora out of the house. What kind of parent kicked their child out of the house after dark?

“Let go!” 

He slammed his empty bottle against the hall table, shattering it into a million pieces. “You’re going to stop your lying. One way or another!” 

“I’m not!” 

Sora was thrown against the front door, knocking his head against the frame which startled a cry out of him. 

“Get up.” His father grabbed him by his arm but paused when Sora grabbed his wrist with a startlingly tight grip. 

Sora stared up at him, face tear stained by eyes a bright red. “Get the fuck off, old man.” Vanitas spoke through Sora, breaking his promise with Ventus to never take over Sora’s body. 

His father jerked back, having some sense through his drunken haze. “What are…” 

“Vanitas. I’m Vanitas.” The shadows around the room shivered and twisted. His own shadow grew into a dozen small creatures trying to climb their way out into the open after so long. 

“It’s alright Sora.” Ventus was whispering, wrapped tightly around Sora’s heart while Vanitas was walking about. 

His father gasped in fear, yelping when he stepped on shards of glass he’d shattered. 

“You’ll never lay a hand on Sora again.” Vanitas snarled. “I will fucking kill you before i allow that to happen!” 

The Unversed chittered, more skittering around the room. Several even tried lunging at the man but Vanitas just didn't have control of them in Sora's small frame. 

“I will rip you apart.” Vanitas threatened anyway. “Now **Get Out**.” 

He watched with a loathing as the man turned tail and ran, horrified by the eyes staring up at him that weren’t his sons. He took off and Sora collapsed as the Unversed disappeared in a puff. 

Just like before, Vanitas’ magic was too much for him. It was too much, too dark for his little body. Sora fell unconscious, lip puffy and bleeding. Around him Ventus and Vanitas hovered, promising to do better, to keep him safe. 

Both of them watched as his father left the house in terror to never return and cared for Sora the best they could until his mother came home. She'd panicked the second she saw her child knocked out with her fool of a husband nowhere to be found. No clues but a shattered bottle and a wounded child. 

Sora never did tell her why he’d left. 

~

Ventus and Vanitas had warned him. More than warned him, they’d begged him to stay away from the play island. The storm was not a normal storm. It was a storm of darkness. A door had been opened. 

They had no way to stop him short of taking over his body and they swore to never do that again. Not while he was so young, even if...over the years Sora grew and they stayed the same. 

Sora had to find Riku. He had to find Kairi. He wouldn’t be the coward and headed right into the storm. 

Sora felt like things were disappearing before he could get his bearings and still hadn’t found his friends. When the creatures attacked, he was scared. The winds were frightening and the sky was literally black.

He was just a boy…

“Riku!” Sora yelled, spotting silver hair. 

“Sora wait! Please!” Ventus begged.

“This isn't right.This isn't right!” Vanitas hissed. “Ven, this is him! It’s him! He’s looking for us!” 

Ventus shook his head, adamant. “No. He needs a new start.” 

“Riku!” Sora called again. “We have to find Kairi!” 

“The door has opened.” Riku said instead, gaining the attention of the twins. He was calm, looking out into the storm as if it were a normal occurrence. Something unpleasant lingered behind his gaze. 

“It’s him.” Vanitas muttered. “Fucking damn it.” 

Ventus looked stricken. “No...Riku…” A gasped lodged in his throat when he saw what was happening. “Sora no! Don’t take his hand!” 

“Sora!” Vanitas echoed. “It’s not Riku anymore!” He tried to dispel the darkness himself but it was hard when he was technically housed in Sora’s heart. All he could do was protect Sora while Ventus wrapped himself around the boy.

They feared something like this would happen, feared their presence would drag Sora into something dangerous. They feared Xehanort would return to finish what he started. Ventus did not want to forge the x-blade. Vanitas did not want to kill his brother. They were two now. 

The last thing either expected was for Riku to fall to darkness, and for Sora to face off a horde of heartless with a shining Kingdom Key in his hand. After years of practice and questions, Sora was holding a keyblade. 

It was his first real fight, and he’d performed gloriously. His own light casting out the darkness, and the monsters it held away, but that didn’t stop the storm. Destiny Island was in peril, but that was a problem for later when Sora was hurling through the worlds, landing at the supposed cross roads. 

“The rules have changed.” Ventus said, checking over Sora’s unconscious form. “He’ll have to play dumb.” 

“No talk of keyblades or magic.” Vanitas agreed. “No talk of us. Xehanort will find him eventually.” 

“We’ll keep him safe from his heart.” Ventus muttered. “He’s not ready to know everything else.” 

“But he’ll get there.” Vanitas muttered, watching the dog appear and lick at Sora’s face to rouse him. “Find Riku, Sora. Save him like Ventus saved me. Darkness doesn’t have him yet." 

“We’re with you Sora.” Ventus whispered. Sora would have to play his part. He _didn't_ have imaginary friends.


End file.
